Self-extinguishing properties are imparted to organic polymer compositions that are normally susceptible to burning by incorporating in the polymer composition a brominated arylidene ketone is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,136. One of the more effective brominated arylidene ketones described in said patent is cinnamalacetophenone tetrabromide.
The method described in Example VIII of said patent for preparation of cinnamalacetophenone tetrabromide produces commercially unsatisfactory low yields of crude product and in addition the crude product requires additional processing to remove undesirable color imparting impurities.